


Fake Weddings and Real Dates

by raphaelsantiagosavedhimself



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: AU, Fluff, M/M, santifell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 00:10:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8599303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raphaelsantiagosavedhimself/pseuds/raphaelsantiagosavedhimself
Summary: While working on a cruise ship, Raphael is asked to pretend to marry someone in order to prank their friend. But Raphael finds that he likes the friend a lot more than his fake fiance.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a prompt found on tumblr  
> Also posted on my tumblr (same as username)

Raphael had lost count of how many cocktail glasses he’d cleared away from the same table, and yet the guy drinking them seemed totally unaffected by the alcohol. Raphael guessed he was only one or two years older than he was himself, but in terms of lifestyle they were oceans apart. The guy was rich, Raphael could tell by his lavish clothing and jewellery. His tolerance for alcohol was a giveaway too. He had probably had this cruise paid for him by his parents, whereas Raphael was here to work, a summer job he had been very lucky to get. All of his wages were being send home to his mother and brothers.

As Raphael collected up another empty glass from the table, the guy smiled at him. His eyes were clear and bright, almost golden.

‘Magnus Bane,’ he said, holding out his hand.

Raphael raised an eyebrow at the extended hand. He didn’t usually take kindly to new people, but this boy was being friendly and if Raphael did not respond in kind it was very likely a complaint would be made about him and he would lose his job. He therefore shook the boy’s hand. ‘Raphael Santiago.’

‘I have a question for you, Raphael,’ Magnus said. He gestured towards the empty seat opposite him. ‘Have a seat.’

‘I’m working.’ Raphael held up the tray of empty glasses to indicate this.

‘It’ll only take a minute, I promise.’

With thought of this rich, potentially spoiled boy complaining about the staff still in mind, Raphael placed his tray down on the table and took a seat. ‘As long as it’s quick.’

Magnus beamed. ‘Trust me darling, it will be.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘I want you to marry me.’

Raphael stared, wondering if Magnus was drunk after all.

‘You see, I have this friend,’ Magnus continued. He glanced around surreptitiously. They were on the open deck, the night sky bright with stars, and there was light music and low laughter around them. He seemed to be satisfied, because he looked back at Raphael and leaned forward a little over the table. ‘He’s a miserable old thing, I promised I would behave myself while we are on this cruise.’

‘And you have no intention of behaving,’ Raphael said.

Magnus’ eyes sparkled. Or maybe that was just the glittery eye makeup he was wearing. ‘Not exactly. I thought I’d just make this trip a little more…exciting. We pretend to get married to freak Ragnor out. No one gets hurt, just a little bit of fun.’

‘What do I get out of it?’ Raphael asked.

‘What do you want?’

Raphael scanned Magnus. His eyes landed on the numerous rings on his fingers, the soft silk of his shirt. Everything about him screamed _rich_. He could ask for anything. He wondered how far Magnus was willing to go to trick his friend. How much was he willing to spend to have his fun?

Raphael shrugged. ‘I want a meal.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘I assume we need a fake date too if we’re going to announce a fake marriage. I want you to pay for dinner for me. A nice one.’

‘You could have anything.’

‘I want dinner.’

Magnus appeared to be caught off guard as he processed this small request. It made Raphael wonder what he had actually been expecting. Evidently he had been willing to go pretty far in order to carry out his prank. But then he smiled and once again held his hand out to Raphael. ‘Deal.’

Raphael shook Magnus’ hand. ‘Deal.’

* * *

He had agreed to come and meet Magnus’ friend at the end of his shift, which would give Magnus time to break the news to Ragnor. It was midnight by the time he finished and he would have liked to just go to bed, but he had made a promise and he really wanted that free meal. Not one of the staff meals, but one of the ones prepared for the guests. One of the ones he would never have been able to afford himself in a million years.

He crossed the open deck, scanning the tables for a sign of Magnus. He wondered if Magnus would be drunk by now. He wondered if his friend was. He wasn’t sure he’d stick around if either of them were; he had never been comfortable around drunk people.

He spotted Magnus. He was not at the table he had been sat at before, but standing by the railing and looking out over the sea. There was another boy next to him, several inches taller than Magnus was.

Raphael cleared his throat when he approached them. Magnus beamed when he turned and his eyes fell on Raphael. The other boy glanced over his shoulder only briefly, long enough for Raphael to see the scowl on his face. Then he turned away again, elbows resting on the railing, looking down into the sea.

‘I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come,’ Magnus said.

‘You really doubted me?’ Raphael asked. ‘I’m not sure I want to marry someone who does not trust me.’

Magnus’ smile widened. ‘You’ve proven me wrong. I trust you now.’

‘You’ve just met him, idiot,’ Ragnor commented, without turning around.

Magnus rolled his eyes. ‘I told you he was miserable. He doesn’t know how to recognise true love when he sees it.’

‘I know that you don’t fall in love the same day you meet someone.’

‘You can think what you like,’ Magnus said, folding his arms stubbornly across his chest. But he winked at Raphael, since Ragnor wasn’t looking.

Raphael rolled his eyes and wondered of this was worth it for a nice dinner.

‘I’m going to leave the two of you to get acquainted while I get us drinks,’ Magnus said. ‘Would you like anything?’

Raphael shook his head. ‘I don’t drink.’

Magnus moved off towards the bar.

Raphael approached the railing and leaned over to look into the water below. Ragnor still had not looked at him.

‘How much has he paid you to play along with this?’ Ragnor asked.

‘Why do you assume I was paid?’

‘Because the idea that you are really getting married is ludicrous.’ Ragnor’s tone of voice was low and mournful. Raphael was getting the impression it had nothing to do with what he was saying, rather it was just the way he spoke all of the time. Perpetually grumpy. It made Raphael smile a little.

‘I think Magnus is the kind of person who often does ludicrous things,’ Raphael said.

‘Are you?’

Raphael glanced over at Ragnor. Ragnor was much taller, and Raphael had to tilt his head to look up into his face. He found that Ragnor was finally looking at him and for the first time Raphael could see him properly. His hair was a very dark blonde, almost brown, tumbling over his forehead in careless tangles. Lanterns strung across the deck cast odd shadows over Ragnor’s face but Raphael had the feeling that, in bright light, Ragnor’s eyes might be the same colour as the ocean he seemed to be so interested in. There was a little crease between his eyebrows, a permanent frown line.

‘Am I the kind of person who often does ludicrous things?’

‘Yes.’

Raphael smiled up at Ragnor. ‘Not usually, no.’

Ragnor grunted in response and turned his attention back to the sea. Raphael kept his eyes on Ragnor. He was strikingly different to Magnus. Where Magnus was all bright colours and extravagance, Ragnor was much more subdued. In contrast to Magnus’ jewellery and silken clothing, Ragnor wore a long sleeved coat that fell almost all the way to the ground. Magnus demanded attention, Ragnor seemed to prefer to blend into the background. But there was a casual elegance in his posture; the way he leaned against the raining, the way he stood with one ankle crossed over the other, the way he kept his head lowered as he gazed out into the distance.

‘You’d really rather be here than enjoying the party?’ Raphael asked, gesturing over his shoulder at the other guests.

‘Not my thing.’

‘So why are you here?’ An impertinent question, but if Ragnor minded he didn’t show it.

‘I like the ocean,’ he said. ‘Besides, Bane needs constant supervision. It’s a fulltime job.’

‘So he doesn’t do something stupid like marry a stranger?’

‘Exactly.’

‘You don’t seem to be doing much to stop him.’

Ragnor simply shrugged in response.

Magnus returned with his drink. He held a glass of whiskey in the other hand, which he handed to Ragnor. ‘You’re being nice to my fiancé, I hope.’

‘I’m always nice,’ Ragnor replied.

Magnus laughed like it was the funniest joke he’d ever heard. ‘I’m surprised you even know the meaning of the word _nice_.’

Ragnor sipped his drink without comment.

‘I should be going to bed,’ Raphael said. ‘I have to work in the morning.’

‘And then dinner in the evening?’ Magnus asked.

‘Of course.’

He inclined his head a little to Magnus, but it was Ragnor he was looking at as Raphael turned to leave. Just before he went below deck, he glanced back over his shoulder and found that Ragnor was still watching him.

* * *

He was serving breakfast in the morning when he spotted Ragnor at a table in the corner of the room. Alone. Raphael approached the table. Ragnor looked half-asleep, the scowl on his face a little more prominent than it had been last night.

‘Anything I can get you?’

‘Just coffee, please.’ He looked up at Raphael as he spoke and Raphael noticed two things simultaneously. The first thing; Ragnor’s scowl slipped away when he made eye contact with Raphael. The second thing; Raphael had been right. Ragnor’s eyes were a mix of green and blue, the colour of the ocean.

‘Of course,’ Raphael said. ‘Where’s Magnus?’

Ragnor shrugged. ‘Still in bed.’

Ragnor looked like he wished he was still in bed too, but Raphael did not point this out. He brought Ragnor’s coffee and they didn’t speak again, but Raphael was distracted for the rest of the morning. He found himself unable to think of anything but the ocean.

He drifted through the rest of the day, looking around for any sign of Ragnor.

* * *

He was to meet Magnus outside of the dining hall at eight o’clock that evening. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach as he dressed and he wasn’t sure he’d even be able to enjoy the meal anyway. It wasn’t guilt over the lie itself, it was…something else.

Magnus was already there waiting for him. He smiled when he saw Raphael, but the smile faltered. Raphael’s mood must be evident on his face. He simply stood before Magnus for a moment, before sighing heavily.

‘I can’t do this,’ Raphael said. ‘Your fake marriage sounds very entertaining, but I can’t be a part of it. It would be wrong.’

‘You don’t want to lie?’ Magnus asked. He looked disappointed.

‘Not just that. It’s just—’ Raphael put his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. ‘Your friend. Ragnor.’

‘What about him?’

‘Is he single?’

Magnus hesitated before asking, ‘I’m sorry?’

Raphael gave Magnus a rueful smile. ‘I cannot fake marry you because I was considering asking your friend on a date. A real one.’

Magnus stared for another few seconds before laughing. His expression brightened again. ‘Yes. Ragnor’s single. And I think he would like to go on a date with you.’

‘What makes you say that?’

‘Because he doesn’t usually get out of bed until mid-afternoon. I was wondering why he got up so early for breakfast this morning.’

Raphael recalled how tired Ragnor had looked that morning. Also the way his scowl had vanished when he saw Raphael.

‘So I can ask him?’

‘I still owe you a meal,’ Magnus said. It was not an answer and Raphael raised his eyebrows. Magnus just smiled, however. ‘Wait here.’

He retreated down the corridor, leaving Raphael standing alone. He waited several minutes and was just considering going back to his bunk and enjoying the rest of his night by curling up in bed with a book when he saw a familiar face approaching him down the corridor.

Ragnor looked a little bewildered, but he seemed relieved to see that Raphael was still there. ‘Magnus said you wanted to have dinner with me.’

‘That’s…not exactly what I said.’

Ragnor shrugged. ‘He said you wanted to ask me on a date and that he still owed you dinner. He’s paying for us both. This is really what he bribed you with to pretend to marry him?’

Raphael smirked. ‘It didn’t exactly work out the way he planned.’

Ragnor laughed. ‘Lucky me.’


End file.
